Globalization & Rationality from a Liberal Perspective
The communication revolution gave way to globalized overflow of information which informs us about many avoidable human tragedies. The containment of these tragedies makes up the global social agenda at hand. Globalization is considered mainly an economic development with impact on rational decision-making in all facets of life - political, social, psychological, educational, cultural and that of information technology.
There is no consensus as to its contribution to improve rational decision making of the individuals in the community of democratic states. The lack of consensus is confusing. As a small contribution to the efforts to reduce the confusion, I examine three answers to the following question: under what conditions does globalization improve rational decision-making of individuals?
I give two popular answers and one less popular answer. The first popular answer is the answer given by most neoclassical economists which states that globalization, under no constraint, improves rational decision making of individuals. The second popular answer, the social democrat answer is the answer given by social democrats of West European and Scandinavian countries which states that globalization, under reasonable redistribution of income in the form of almost free public services improves rational decision-making of individuals. The less popular answer is the answer given by critical rationalists which states that globalization under democratic control improves rational decision making of individuals.
Globalization points in the direction of a democratic global government in order to be regulated in some way. I propose to accelerate its creation and accredit it with the features of the methodology offered by critical rationalists. The end result may be the moderation of globalization by the enhancement of democratic procedures that control it and the improvement of rational decision making of economic agents.
I first defend democracy and present an overview of globalization’s contemporary impact on liberal philosophy, democratic procedures and governments of liberal democratic states as a forward to the examination of the three answers to the topical question. Second, it examines the three answers to the topical question. I conclude that we may improve rational decision-making of individuals with the help of democratic control of the global free market.
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7 comments:
My question is to what extent can democracy survive under globalization?
I wonder if your study will also touch on the subject of trust/mistrust in democratic control. One of the ills of the 21st century is that 'democracy' and 'democratic' came to be viewed as the source of some of the problems in our world. Will you also explore the question of under what conditions can trust in in democracy and democratic control can be restored?
The question of trust in democracy is very imporatant for the survival of democracy. Therefore democracy has to offer the public it serves something more than simply democratic procedures. For example it can offer its past achievements as an alibi of its good work. Basic human rights and civil rights are the biggest accomplishments of democracy. In addition to that, the fact that the public may change the rulers without violence is an achievement that may enhance the trust in democracy. The fact that democracy may turn into dictatorship may be an issue of mistrust, but it still is better than having dictatorship 'de facto'.
As to the survival of democracy under globalization, we cannot know but thanks to the advancement in technology and communication we can promote democractic procedures at as many institutions as possible around the globe with as few preconditions as possible.
totaliarianism owes its emergence to technology as well. This same technology can also suspend the free flow of information and communication channels. I, therefore, attach importance to the existence of a democratic culture in the survival of democracy as institutions and even a checks and balances system can be exploited for dictatorship.
i am all for democratic culture but i did not understand what you mean by its explotation for dictatorship, maybe you mean against dictatoraship, technology can do anything from destroying to nurturing, it depends on whose hands the technology is:i.e. the same plane may send an nuclear bomb and distribute food and medicine
new point: global politics vs local or international politics:
when many centers (nations, continents, regions etc) have the same problem and the solution is beyond the power of only one center than that problem may be solved by global politics and if handled properly nation states may agree to relinquish their autonomy for the sake of some coordination.
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